Dyeing machine



G. E. DRUM ET AL Z L DYEING MACHINE Filed Nov. 22, 1933 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR ZMLH A T E M U R D E G DYEING MACHINE Filed Nov. 22, 1953 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 W 7 G. E. DRUM ET AL A L DYEING MACHINE Filed Nov. 22, 1933 5 SheetsSheet 5' y 936. e. E. DRUM ET AL 2,941,117

DYEING MACHINE Filed Nov. 22, 1955 5 sheets-sheet 5 ENVENTORS,

Patented May 19, 1936 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE DYEING MACHINE cf'Pennsylvania I Application November 22, 1933, Serial No. 699,130

11 Claims.

The present invention relates to material treating machines and more particularly to a machine for dyeing skeins of yarn or other material.

Generally considered the present invention relates to a type of dyeing machine in which skeins of yarn or other material are suspended from a stationary support so that theyhang above the solution in the tang. The treating liquid is then circulated through the supports and runs down over the material to be dyed or treated and periodically, or otherwise, suitable rotatable lift arms are arranged to change the position of the material upon the supports. Incidental to the dyeing operation the machine is provided with control means for mixing the treating solution and circulating it through the skein supports.

Some of the objects of the present invention are to provide an improved lifting mechanism for coacting with skeins of yarn suspended upon the liquid discharge support, so that all changes of the lifting mechanism can take place without chafing, damaging, or winding up of the yarn threads; to provide a control mechanism for circulating the treating solution in a predetermined manner and maintaining a uniform mix and temperature of the solution during a dyeing operation; to provide means for guarding against operation of the lifting mechanism when the machine is functioning as a solution mixer; to provide a supporting structure for skeins wherein provision is made for cleaning out the supports to prevent collection of sediment and other particles in the solution; and to provide other improvements as will hereinafter appear.

In the accompanying drawings Fig. 1 represents a side elevation of a material treating machine embodying one form of the present invention; Fig. 2 represents a plan of the same with certain of the parts omittedto more clearly illustrate the invention; Fig. 3 represents a detail on a larger scale and in part section of one of the material supports and its material lifting mechanism; Fig. l represents a section on line 44 of Fig. 3; Fig. 5 represents a fragmentary section 4.5 taken vertically through the lift rod; Fig. 6 represents a section on line 6-6 of Fig. 5; Fig. 7 represents on an enlarged scale a transverse section through the novel control valve; Fig. 8 represents a front elevation of the control valve;

50 Fig. 9 represents a detail in part section of one of the valve closures; Fig. 10 represents a detail in side elevation of. the switch box control mechanism and associated parts; and Fig. 11 represents a section on line I I--I I of Fig. 10. 55 Referring to the drawings an more particularly to Fig. 1 a dyeing machine of the type illustrated in United States Letters Patent No. 1,844,- 908, is shown embodying the present invention. Generally considered such a machine consists of an open top tank I0 for holding a supply of dye 5 or any other material treating solution; one or more tubular material supports II; a liquid circulating system including a pumping unit I2 and a control valve I3; and a controlled material lifting rod I4. Each support I I is mounted as a fixed 10 element generally parallel to the top of the tank I0 and above the level of the liquid therein so that the skeins I5 or other material to be treated will be suspended upon the support I I out of contact with the treating liquid in the tank III. In 15 other words the skeinsof yarn are always above the liquor in the tank. The actual dyeing or treating takes place through the liquor discharging from rows of perforations I6 extending along the upper surface of the support II.

It should be noted that each support II is fixedly mounted at one end in a bracket I1 and is in communication with a liquor pipe or manifold 20 supplied from the pump I2 when the valve I3 is set to so deliver the liquor. The opposite 25 end of the support I I is unobstructed by any fastening means in order to allow loops or skeins of material to be freely placed on or removed from the support. Flanges 2I are respectively located at opposite ends of the respective supports II to 30 prevent the skeins from working off of the support during a treating operation.

In order to permit each support I I to be flushed and cleaned when necessary the outer or free end thereof is closed by a cap 22, which is held in 3 place by screws 23 or other fastening means, and thus forms a removable closure. When the machine is performing a dyeing or treating operation this cap 22 is in place but when the tube is to be flushed it is removed and themoving 001- 40 umn of liquid exits at the now open end of the support instead of being diverted through the perforations I6. This closure cap construction has been found in practice to be a very important feature as without it sediment and scale within the tube are partially forced through the perforations during a dyeing operation and project so that the yarn is damaged.

One feature of the present invention resides in the provision of a skein or material contact member'which in the present instance consists in each case of a strip of sheet metal shaped to form a tubular hub 24 which is arranged to fit over and. have a journal bearing upon the rod I4. The bottom edge of this sheet metal guard is also of tuthe floor of the tank I II.

bular construction in order to form a counterweight 25 and the two parts, the hub 24 and the counter-weight 25, are interconnected by a fin 26. The hub 24 is journalled for free turning movement about the rod I4 as an axis and has its ends seated respectively in bearing sockets 21 provided respectively in the free ends of the lifting arms 28. The rod I4 is fast against rotation by being fastened at its ends to the two arms 28 by means of pins 29. Each of the arms 28 is formed integral with a circular collar 30 mounted in coaxial relation upon the support II, and in this instance is free to turn about the fixed hub 3| of which the flange 2| is a part. Preferably the counter-weight 25 is filled with some loose or other material 32 to give it the weight necessary to resist any tendenecy to cause the fin 26 to swing out of a vertical plane. It will be evident that the counter-weight 25 will cause the hub 24 to turn on the rod I4 as the latter rotates about the support I I asan axis and hence there is no possibility of the material or yarn threads to wind about the hub 24. In prior machines of this character rotatable lift rods have been provided to reduce the frictional resistance of the skeins upon the rod while the latter is shifting the skeins to a new position and have been found practical for the purpose under general conditions of use but with some yarns a troublesome condition arises due to some of the threads winding up on the rotatable part of the lift rod. By providing a' counterweighted lift part which maintains the friction reducing element in its same relative position during the rotation of the lift arms, this undesirable action becomes impossible. The arms 28 are gear driven from a belt 33 which receives motion from a motor (not shown) of the reversible type arranged in an electrical circuit to be opened and closed by a control switch 34. Supplemental to the motor circuit there is a time controlled mechanism whereby under desired conditions the operation of the motor is rendered intermittent.

'Thus the switch 34 can be opened to break the motor circuit or closed to give continuous motor operation, or closed in another position to give intermittent operation. A second switch 35 is arranged in series with the switch 34 and is a two position one so arranged in the circuit that in one position the current causes the motor to rotate the arms 28 clockwise and in its other position to rotate the arms 28 counter-clockwise. These circuits and time control therefore are specifically described in applicants co-pending application Serial No. 604,690, and it is therefore deemed unnecessary to repeat here since they form no part 'of the present invention.

For the purpose of mixing the treating solution cordance with the presentinvention, the pump unit I2, which is preferably of the rotary type, is provided. An electric motor 40 is directly connected to operate the pump I2 and is in an electrical circuit controlled by a switch 4| arranged to be opened and closed by a handle arm 42 fastened to the end of the switch rock shaft 43 which projects through one face of a circuit control switch box 44. The suction end of the pump I2 communicates by way of suction pipe 45 with a relatively large outlet opening 46 provided in The discharge end of the pump is connected by way of discharge pipe 41 ,with an inlet port 48 formed in the casing of a the manifold supply pipe liquor discharging from the pump I2, and has two outlets 5| and 52 communicating with the inner generally cylindrical chamber 53 of the valve body. This cylindrical configuration is for the purpose of forming a contact face for the two valve closures 54 and 55 which are slidably mounted on radial arms 56 and 51 carried by the rotatable shaft 58 which is journalled coaxially of the chamber 53. Springs 60 respectively coact between fixed abutments 6| on the respective arms and with the closures 54 and 55 so that the latter are held outwardly pressed in leak-proof relation with the inner face of the casing 53 and with which their faces contact by reason of having a contour corresponding thereto. The outlet port 5| is in communication with a supply pipe 62 leading to the supply manifold 20 for the material supports while the outlet 52 is in communication with a return pipe 63 leading to the interior of the tank It and terminating in a discharge nozzle54 of diverging shape and so arranged as to project the return solution toward a side of the tank away from the inlet 45 to the pipe 45. This arrangement of the return nozzle insures a circulation of the solution around the sides of the tank and gives a cross current effect which supplements the circulation of the liquor being drawn into the pipe 45. The operating shaft for rocking the closures from one operative position to another projects upwardly through the top of the valve casing I3 where it is suitably journalled in a bracket 65 and has fixed thereto a crank arm 56 for causing its proper operation. In connection with the closure supporting arms 56 and 57 it should be noted that these are so angularly disposed with each other as to establish communication between the inlet 48 and the outlet 52 in one position while cutting off communication with the outlet 5|, and to establish communication between the inlet 48 and the outlet 5| and cutting off communication between the inlet 48 and outlet 52 in another position.

In order that the functioning of the control valve I3 may be made entirely clear it will be noted that when the closure 54 seals the outlet 5| the closure 55 is not over either of the ports 48 or 52 and consequently the treating solution has a free circulation from the tank through the pump and back to the tank. This circulation is utilized for mixing the solution prior to a dyeing or other treating operation. With the valve so positioned there is no discharge of solution from the valve I3 to the support manifold 20 and therefore, of course, no discharge or flow of liquid from the supports II. With the mixing of the solution completed and everything ready for a dyeing operation the crank arm 60 is operated to rock the shaft 58 and bring the two closures 54 and 55 to the position shown in Fig. 7, where communication between the inlet 4! is established with the outlet 5| leading to 28 and in this position (except for a novel feature of the present invention) all circulation by way of pipe 53 would be cut off. However, the closure 55 is provided with a relatively small port 61 which registers with the outlet 52 in closed position of the closure and thus maintains a communication of greatly reduced area between the inlet 48 and the outlet 52. In other words during the dyeing operation when there is a full flow of treating solution from the inlet 48 through the valve I3 and through the outlet 5| to the supports II, there is also a restricted by-pass for the solution through the port 61 and thence by way of pipe 63 into a tank II] to maintain therein across current circulation. This insures the proper mix being maintained at its initial uniform density and uniform temperature. In this connection it should be noted that steam supply pipes 68 are located within the tank I0 and are arranged to be connected to a separate source of steam supply for introducing heat into the solution. This feature of maintaining a cross circulation within the solution tank during the time the dyeing operation is taking place is a very important feaand those portions of the liquor beneath the supports have an induced solution by the return from the hanging material and therefore the body of solution considered as a whole varies in density and also temperature. Such variations are very deleterious to uniform dyeing and the troubles and disadvantages incident to this entire cutting off of solution during a dyeing operation have been overcome by maintaining a restricted mixing circulation while simultaneously carrying out a dyeing one.

Manual control and operation of the crank arm 53 is made possible by a connected assembly of connecting rods 10, 1.! and bell crank 12 with a hand lever 13 pivoted to the frame of the machine on the shaft 14. In the position of the operating lever l3, as shown in full lines Fig. 1, the valve [3 is in position to allow the treating solution to enter and be discharged from the supports H so that a dyeing operation can take place. When the operating lever 13 is in the dotted line position as shown in Fig. 1, the control valve I3 is in position for a mixing operation and no solution can be supplied to the supports ll.

Forthe purpose of stopping the operation of the rotatable lift arms 28 during a mixing operation and insuring these rotatable members remaining stationary to safeguard the operator while mixing is taking place, the operating lever 13 is provided with an arm l5 which is connected to a vertically reciprocable rod 16 and extends upwardly to engage in its upward movement a dog 'l'l mounted to rock about a pivot pin 18 fastened to an ear of the switch box 44. The dog Tl forms a lever of the second class in that it is pivotally connected to the lower end of a rock lever 8| which is pivoted at 32 to the car 83 and has its upper free end provided with a socket 83. This socket forms a guide for a spring pressed plunger 84 located coaxially with the stem 85 -of the movable element 86 of the switch 34. In

connection with the switch 34 it should be noted that the movable element 86 is pinned or other wise fastened to a square shank 81 which rides in the correspondingly shaped bore 88 of the rotatable control member 93 which is arranged to be turned from one position to another by means of the handle 9|. Thus by swinging the handle 9| through a selected arc the switch element 86 can be placed at will to either close a circuit for intermittent operation of the lift rod or in a position to cause a continuous rotation of the lift rod. When the element 86 is shifted to the right as seen in Fig. 11 both circuits which it is arranged to control will be broken and the lift mechanism therefore remain stationary. While the present invention more particularly relatesto the opening of the switch member 86 by the actuation of the rods 16 it should be noted that the lever 8! is located in the path of a cam -92 which is under the control of the guard apron 93 and therefore whenever the guard 93 is moved be conveniently manipulated manually if desired.

It has heretofore been mentioned that there is a second switch in series with the switch 34 whereby the direction of rotation of the material lift arms 28 can be controlled at will and in the present instance this switch is shown at 35 and has its movable switch element 35 fixed for manual control as to position by reason of a handle 96. Thus by reference to Fig. 10 it will be seen that when the handle 96 is swung to the right the circuits will be so arranged that the lift arms will rotate in a counter-clockwise direction, while if the handle 95 is thrown to the left as there indicated the aforesaid lift members 28 will be rotated in a clockwise direction.

Where two of these material treating machines are connected together for the simultaneous dyeing of two batches of yarn or other material it may be desirable to circulate the solution in both tanks from the same pumping element and to that end the outlet or return pipe 33 is provided with a T fitting I00 having at one side a control Valve IOI which is arranged to be opened and closed by connection I02, bell crank I03 and rod I04 with ahandle I05 which is located at the front of the machine for conveniently controlling the operation of this valve I00.

In the operation of the machine the switch handle 42 is moved to the position shown in Fig. 10 to close the circuit to the motor which drives the pump and thereupon circulation of the treating solution takes place in accordance with the set position of the control valve 13. The initial circulation of the solution is for the purpose or properly mixing the solution and therefore the control valve I3 is set by shifting the handle 66 to the position where the closures 54 and 55 establish communication between the pipe 41 and pipe 63 so that the circulation takes place only through the tank and only for mixing purposes.

With the completion of the mixing and with the skeins of yarn or other material placed upon the support or supports it in suspended position above the tank, the switch 34 is moved either to close a circuit for continuous operation of the arms 28 of the lift rod I4, or to close a circuit which has the time control mechanism in it whereby these arms 28 are only rotated at certain times. In the position shown in Fig. 1 the switch arm 9! is in the position so that the operation of the lift arms will. be intermittent and only take place at certain selected intervals. Also the switch 35 is set in a selected position to give either clockwise rotation to the arms 28 or counterclockwise motion thereto as may be required. Also in Fig. 1 the operating lever 13 is shown in the position for placing the control valve closures so that a mixing operation takes place and in connection with'this it will be noted that the rod 16 is in its uppermost position to thereby hold the rock lever Bl in such a position as to break the circuit at switch 86 and thus prevent any rotation of the lift arms during the mixing of the solution. This is very essential as during the mixing the operator is watching the mixing of the solution and therefore in a dangerous position should the lift arms start to rotate. When the mixing has been completed and the treating operation is to be started, the lever 13 is pulled in a counter-clockwise direction to the position shown in dotted lines Fig. 1, and thereby shifts the control valve closures to the position shown in Fig. 7 where the solution from the tank passes through pipe 41, thence through chamber 53, and discharges into the pipe 62 leading to the manifold 20, and from which latter it then exits by way of the perforations Hi to flow downward over the suspended material. Also in this position of the control valve the port 61 allows some of the solution to pass into the pipe 63 and be discharged into the tank in order to maintain a cross circulation of solution and prevent bed pockets which would destroy the uniform mix. With the machine operating, the time control mechanism takes charge of the rotation of the arms 18 and periodically or otherwise rotates each about its support in order to lift the material and change its relative position upon such support. In making such a revolution the guard rib 24 is held in a vertical position and turns about its axis to maintain this position due to the counter-weight at its lower end and consequently there is no opportunity for any of the yarn threads or material to wrap themselves about the part of the hub 24 which is in contact with them.

After a certain length of time it is desirable to see that the supports II are free from any sediment or metal particles and that this cleaning may be properly done the caps 22 are removed and a Washing solution circulated by the pump through the tubes in place of the ordinary treating solution. By this provision of flushing the supports it is now impossible for any particles to become clogged in the perforations H5 or to project from such perforations into contact with the material being treated.

While only a single form is shown in which this invention may be embodied, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited to any specific construction, but might be applied to various forms without departing from the spirit of the invention or the scope of the appended claims.

Having thus described our invention, we claim:-

1. In a material treating machine a support for material to be treated and from which said material is suspended, means for discharging a treating solution from said support upon said material, a lifting mechanism rotatably mounted on said support, means for actuating said lifting mechanism to change the position of said material upon said support, said mechanism including a rotatably mounted hub, and means for maintaining said hub in the same position relative to said support during the rotation of said lifting mechanism about said support.

2. In a material treating machine a support for material to be treated and from which said material is suspended, means for discharging a treating solution from said support upon said mate rial, a lifting mechanism rotatably mounted on said support, means for actuating said lifting mechanism to change the position of said material upon said support, said mechanism including a rotatably mounted hub, and a counterweight for maintaining said hub in the same position relative to said support during the rotation of said lifting mechanism about said support.

3. A lifting mechanism for material treating machines consisting of two rotatably mounted arms, a lifting member mounted between said arms for movement relative thereto, and means for maintaining said member in a predetermined position in all positions of said arms.

4. A lifting mechanism for material treating machines consisting of two rotatably mounted arms, a lifting member mounted between said arms for movement relative thereto, and a counterweight for maintaining said member in a predetermined position in all positions of said arms.

5. A lifting mechanism for material treating machines consisting of two rotatably mounted arms, a rod fixed to said arms, a tubular member J'ournalled on said rod, said member having a rib extension terminating in a second tubular part, and a weighting material in said second part whereby said journalled member is maintained in a predetermined position irrespective of the angular position of said arms.

6. In a material treating machine, the combination of a treating mechanism comprising a fixed perforated support for suspending material therefrom above a treating solution, a lift rod,

means for mounting said rod for movement relative to said support, a tank for the treating solution, a pump having a suction pipe communicating with said tank, a control valve arranged to selectively connect said discharge with said tank or with said support, means for selectively actuating said control valve, and means for rendering said rod moving means ineffective when said pump discharge communicates only with said tank.

7. In a material treating machine, the combination of a treating mechanism comprising a fixed perforated support for suspending material therefrom above a treating solution, a lift rod, means for mounting said rod for movement relative to said support, a tank for the treating solution, a pump having a suction pipe communieating with said tank, a control valve arranged to selectively connect said discharge with said tank or with said support, means for selectively actuating said control valve, and means controlled by said valve actuating means for rendering said rod moving means ineffective when said pump discharge communicates only with said tank.

8. In a material treating machine the combination of a tank for the treating solution, a material treating mechanism for suspending material above the treating solution and including rotatable lift devices for shifting the material during a treating operation, means for causing the solution in said tank to circulate for mixing purposes, a manually controlled device for setting said circulating means in operation, and means for rendering said lift devices inoperative when said circulating means is functioning.

9. In a material treating machine the combination of a tank for the treating solution, a material treating mechanism for suspending material above the treating solution and including rotatable lift devices for shifting the material during a treating operation, means for causing the solution in said tank to circulate for mixing purposes, a manually controlled device for setting said circulating means in operation, and means including a switch for an electric circuit for rendering said lift devices inoperative when said circulating means is functioning.

10. In a material treating machine the combination of a tank for the treating solution, a material treating mechanism for suspending material above the treating solution and including rotatable lift devices for shifting the material during a treating operation, means for causing the solution in said tank to circulate for mixing purposes, a manually controlled device for setting said circulating means in operation, and means actuated by said manual device for rendering said lift devices inoperative when said circulating means is functioning.

11. In a material treating machine, the combination of a tank for the treating solution, a

material treating mechanism including rotatable devices for shifting the material during a treating operation, means including an electrical circuit for actuating said rotatable devices, a switch for controlling said circuit, means including a pump for circulating solution from said tank, a valve for selectively controlling the discharge of said pump so that said discharge either returns to said tank or supplies said treating mechanism, means including a hand lever for moving said valve to a selected position, and means operated by said valve moving means for opening or closing said switch according to whether said valve is in a mixing position or a treating position.

GEORGE E. DRUM. WILLIAM H. JAXHEIMER. 

